White Dove Fly High
by The Story Of Your Life
Summary: What happened to Snowfire before she met her Rider? Why is she the only one of her kind left in the world? This is her story, from the beginning to when she meets her partner, and Rider. Rated T for safety. Side story to A Different Hiccup, and possibly Another Hiccup.
1. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

The life of a dragon is not an easy one. Especially when it seems like the entire world is against you. One such species has been hunted to near extinction because of their very existence. But far away from the prying eyes of humans, lives and survives a family that has survived for generations. Until one fateful night, when their lives were turned into a bloodbath.

...

An egg was nestled under a pile of branches and feathers collected over the last months during the harsh winter. It was only a single egg, the last until the next warm season. The mother watched on warily, unsure of whether the hatchling would survive or not. Lately their island had been under watch by humans, creatures who were violent and constantly on edge. The father had been able to keep them away for now, but it was only a matter of time before they ventured further and discovered their stronghold.

"How is our hatchling holding up?" The father, Whitescale, approached warily. Mother dragons were incredibly protective of their hatchlings, to the point where they would kill to keep them safe. Brightfire was no exception to that instinct rushing deep in her blood. She turned to her mate and glared as he raised his chin submissively.

"Fine," she growled in response. "No thanks to you. Where have you been all this morning while I was guarding it?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes at the red staining his talons. Whitescale was quick to clean them, knowing that she detested killing without a reason.

"Humans intruded in our territory," he replied. "They thought they could set foot on our land and claim it as their own. They learned the hard way that we are not to be taken lightly." Brightfire only rolled her eyes, having heard this excuse countless times.

She didn't trust the humans anymore than he did. But she also didn't like killing unless there was a reason behind it. Death was something to be taken seriously, especially when the humans were involved. And lately they had seen more and more humans try to explore their land.

"If the egg does not hatch soon, she will not survive the warm season," Brightfire sighed. She had witnessed many hatchlings over her lifetime. While she and Whitescale were new parents, they had seen many suffer throughout their lives. She did not want the same fate to fall upon this hatchling.

"She?" Whitescale repeated in amusement. Brightfire looked at him calmly, already guessing where this was going. "A male would be much better. We hold the future in our bloodline."

"Females are wise and caring," Brightfire retorted. "Besides, I would rather have a daughter."

Whitescale was ready to argue when the egg suddenly began to wobble. Both mother and father watched in amazement as a crack appeared at the top shell. Time seemed to stand still as a foot suddenly broke through, followed by another. Brightfire hummed in amusement when a tail soon followed, than the head finally emerged.

"Welcome to the world, little one," Whitescale crooned as the hatchling blinked at him for the first time.

Sure enough the hatchling was a female. Her dark gray scales glittered in the shaft of light that peered through the cave. Bright blue eyes stared back at her father, who had forgotten all about wanting a son. She had a scythe-like tail, and feather-like wings. In all, she was beautiful, just like her mother.

"Snowfire," Brightfire suddenly warbled. Whitescale looked at his mate in surprise before nodding in agreement. "Her name shall be Snowfire." Just as she said that, the little hatchling sneezed up a cloud of snow in their faces. Whitescale hummed in amusement at the sight before nuzzling her affectionately.

"She has your eyes," he whispered.

"I'm sure she will have your attitude," Brightfire added with a roll of her eyes. "But I would not change her for the world."

...

As first time parents they were forced to learn on the go. Snowfire was already proving herself difficult when it came to learning. Twice already Whitescale had saved her from a pack of wild boars that had threatened her while she was exploring. Brightfire had to keep her from venturing further out of the cave that day. Eventually an entire year had passed and Snowfire thrived in her environment, often exploring and creating her own games since there were no other hatchlings to play with.

"As a White Terror, there are many things you are capable of doing." Whitescale had pulled her aside one day during the warmer months. It was his hope that she would carry on his legacy as the most notorious dragon around. "Breathing fire and ice are just one of the abilities you will be practicing."

Snowfire only looked at him with large blue eyes. She hadn't spoken a single word since she hatched. Both Brightfire and Whitescale were worried about this. Usually by the sixth moon of their hatching, they would start speaking. But something was off about her. They didn't want to admit that they were afraid something was wrong.

"Come along, you must know what I am saying," he added, growing frustrated by her lack of response. Snowfire squeaked in response, firing out a hot blast of flames at a nearby rock. Whitescale jumped in surprise at her accuracy. "Okay, not bad," he admitted. "Let's see you breathe some of that snow you were playing with earlier."

The little dragon was more than happy to oblige. It wasn't until a flurry of snow started falling that Whitescale felt something brush against the back of his mind. He blinked at the sudden emotions rushing through him. Snowfire was still staring at him expectantly, as if waiting for an answer to a question she had asked.

"Whitescale!" Brightfire's voice reached his sharp ears, jolting him from his thoughts. "You know she is too young to train." She landed beside her mate, eyes narrowing with fury as she looked at Whitescale crossly. "She cannot even speak properly." Whitescale shook his head in frustration, having heard this excuse far too many times.

"She needs to learn how to defend herself," he snapped. "Imagine if something happened to us, and she was suddenly alone? I would not forgive myself if anything had happened to her."

"Snowfire will not learn how to defend herself if she cannot speak," Brightfire growled. "I am tired of waiting. You need to speak, now!" By now she was roaring with frustration, causing Snowfire to tremble with fear. Whitescale suddenly intervened and wrapped his tail protectively around her.

"Brightfire, that's enough," he snarled. "Snowfire will grow into a fine dragon, just like you. She just needs time to figure out what it means to be a dragon."

The mother only glared at him in response. Her eyes were narrowed with fury as she flew away, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. Whitescale watched her leave, confusion and frustration welling up inside him. He never expected Brightfire to snap like this.

 _She is scared_ , he realized. _She is afraid something is wrong with Snowfire_. He looked back at his daughter shamefully. Her head was cocked to one side as she stared back at him with unblinking eyes. _Why won't you speak for yourself_?

Something brushed against the back of his mind again. Whitescale was startled by the emotions that ran through him once more. Anger, confusion and fear were all mixed together. It only just dawned on him that this was what _Snowfire_ was feeling. He looked at her in shock as she met his questioning gaze.

' _I can speak_ ,' her eyes seemed to tell him. ' _Just give me a chance_.'

Whitescale couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to their daughter than they realized. That Snowfire was destined for something far greater than what they had planned. And somehow, their lives were about to change for the worse.

...

It was dusk when Whitescale had explained his theory to Brightfire. Snowfire was fast asleep in her nest while her parents spoke to one another, their heads close. Brightfire stared at Whitescale in surprise when he was finished speaking.

"How can you be certain that she _was_ speaking?" she demanded.

"I do not know," he admitted. "I felt something... another presence in my thoughts. It was like I was listening to someone speak, but her mouth wasn't moving like it should have been. Brightfire, I believe our daughter is more intelligent than you understand."

Brightfire snorted in amusement at his suggestion. She was all too aware that her daughter would never reach the age of an adult White Terror. Not if she couldn't even speak properly. Snowfire had refused to say a single word since the day she hatched.

"I don't believe you," she muttered crossly. "How can our daughter be anything but stupid, if she cannot comprehend what we are teaching her? All she ever does is explore and play. She learns nothing from your lessons!" Brightfire paused before saying something Whitescale thought he would never hear, "I wish she had never hatched."

What Brightfire and Whitescale didn't realize was, that Snowfire had been awake during their argument. Shame and fear washed over the young hatchling at her own mother's cruel words. Brightfire had left after saying that, leaving Whitescale there in stunned silence. He turned and realized that Snowfire was staring at him, her eyes wide with horror.

"Don't listen to her. She doesn't know what she is saying," he tried reassuring her.

Snowfire knew better than to listen to him. She knew her mother hated her. All because she couldn't speak. She tried opening her mouth to say something, and Whitescale's eyes lit with hope. But to her surprise, nothing came out. Instead a growl and a squeak followed.

' _I'm trying_ ,' she desperately wanted to tell him. ' _I really am trying..._ '

Her efforts to speak only left her father blinking in confusion. It was already late, and Brightfire had not returned from wherever she'd flown off to. Whitescale was worried she had left them for good. No doubt she would pull off that stunt. He was in no mood to put up a fight. Brightfire needed to learn in her own time that Snowfire was special.

...

Brightfire had been flying for what felt like hours. She hadn't flown like this in a long time. Not without a mate by her side. After her argument with Whitescale, she wasn't sure if she could face him again. Not after what she had said. Now her stomach churned with regret as she imagined the horrified look in Snowfire's eyes. Why couldn't her daughter be normal? What was wrong with her?

She tried shaking off the uneasy thoughts. Maybe it was better they just forget about the whole thing and moved on. White Terrors were proud dragons who could do anything without help. But Snowfire would clearly need all the help she could get. Brightfire regretted naming her after the very first White Terror ever born. The Snowfire from ancient stories had been brave, cunning and fearless. Their daughter was anything but that.

Her thoughts were so muddled that she didn't notice the dangers lying in her path. Normally humans didn't venture this far north. Unfortunately for Brightfire, her white scales gave her away as they were traveling the barren landscape. A group of hunters, no doubt, searching for dragons to slay. And she was flying right towards them.

Pain suddenly pierced through her right wing as a bola was thrown in her direction. The impact caused her wings to buckle as she tumbled towards the ground. Brightfire let out a roar of fury as she crashed in front of the waiting humans, their swords unsheathed and ready for a killing blow. Brightfire wasn't one to give up without a fight. These humans were about to learn that the hard way.

...

It was getting late, and Whitescale had not heard or seen any signs of his mate. Worry clouded his thoughts as he wondered where she had gone off to. He looked back at the sleeping form of their daughter. It had taken him some time to get her to relax after their argument. Now that Snowfire was asleep, he could take off and search for Brightfire.

His wings carried him farther than he ever expected as anxiety cast a dark cloud over his thoughts. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad had happened. Something that would forever shape the destiny of his kind.

What he wasn't expecting was to find something laying on the ragged terrain up ahead. And that something sent a surge of horror through him.

Blood stained the ground, along with feathers scattered over the corpse of a large white dragon. A dragon that happened to be his mate, Brightfire. A few humans had fallen to her piercing talons and sharp teeth. But what horrified him the most was that her head had been severed.

Whitescale let out a moan of grief when he realized that she was dead. The stench of humans filled the air, and he immediately started to follow it. Soon enough he was able to follow the trail of blood that led deeper into the mountains. Rage gave him a sudden burst of strength as he surged through the mountains, ignoring any sense of danger that surrounded him.

 _They're going to find Snowfire_! he realized as they were headed towards their nest. All sense of horror disappeared as he swept past the humans and straight for Snowfire, who was still fast asleep. Their nest was located deep within the mountains, and normally humans didn't venture this far onto their island. Whitescale would sooner die than let them take his daughter.

"Leave this place, now!" he roared when the humans drew closer, torches lit and swords unsheathed. "You do not belong here!"

The humans wouldn't back down. Instead his anger seemed to enrage them further. Whitescale narrowed his eyes as he prepared to fight them off. He couldn't let them find Snowfire. He wouldn't.

 _Forgive me, Snowfire_ , he begged as he fought back with as much ferocity as he could muster. The humans continued fighting back with all the force they could carry. By the time they had exhausted all their weapons, Whitescale dropped down in exhaustion. He looked back at his daughter one last time, her gray scales the last thing he saw before his life was taken away.

...

Snowfire blinked open her eyes when harsh light illuminated the cave. She wasn't expecting to wake up so early, especially after a long night like before. But the moment she did she regretted it. What she saw made her stomach drop in horror.

A body lay in front of her, coated red in blood. Snowfire blinked in confusion when she saw smaller looking two-legged creatures laying beside the body, their eyes dull and lifeless. She reached the body in front of her after realizing who had been killed.

' _Father_?' she asked, a sudden sense of helplessness washing over her. ' _Father, please wake up_!' She kept nudging him, hopeful that he would stir. Her movements had caused his wings to ruffle a little, and her heart soared with joy. ' _Why are you covered in blood_?' she asked, wondering what had happened.

She hadn't realized that she was the one causing his movements. It wasn't until she hadn't gotten a response that she realized something was wrong. Snowfire looked at her father for a few more seconds, unable to comprehend what had happened to him.

Snowfire stayed by his side for the next few hours, unsure of what to do next. Her first instincts were to just carry on with normal activities. But something told her now was not the time. She decided it was best to stay here until something happened. Maybe someone could tell her what had happened to her father. Maybe mother would come back and tell her. All she could do was hope.

* * *

 **AN: I wasn't sure if I should post this or not. And I decided, why not? I've already got six chapters typed up, and it will likely be a short story about what had happened to Snowfire before she met Alex. So... yeah. Just a warning though, this will be a tragedy for many reasons. And if you're curious about where the title for the story came from, check out Casting Crown's White Dove Fly High. You'll understand than ;)**


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

She hadn't left her nesting cave for days. Grief swelled within Snowfire when she realized that both of her parents were gone. Whatever connection she had with them was severed the moment the humans had killed them. Since then, strange looking birds were circling the sky and trying to go near her father. Snowfire managed to scare them off best as she could, but, she knew it was only a matter of time before the scavengers found a way past her.

After another three days followed, she was starving. Her stomach grumbled with hunger as she watched the scavengers pick at the remains of the two-legged creatures her father once called humans. They were birds, she had learned. They feasted upon dead corpses and picked off the flesh, leaving nothing more than bones scattered along the beach. That was why Snowfire had been so determined to scare them away from her father's body.

He might be dead, but she didn't want to believe it. His body remained where it was slain, with dried blood coating his scales and feathered wings. Snowfire desperately wished he would stir again. Even the slightest movements from the wind picking up had given her a small spark of hope that maybe, just maybe he was still alive. But, Snowfire knew she was only fooling herself. The longer she remained here, the hungrier she would get.

Eventually, Snowfire was able to catch one of the clever scavengers when it was too busy feasting. The stench was enough to make her eyes water. Snowfire did her best to ignore the foul taste, though. Hunger drove her on, causing her to eat something dragons normally didn't. Once she was finished eating, Snowfire finally turned to her father and pressed her snout against his stiff body. Part of her knew that it was time to leave. She needed to move on, or, she would starve to death.

' _I'm sorry, father_ ,' she thought bitterly, closing her eyes as she pictured him. He was once full of pride when he watched her. Now, she was alone in this cruel world. She knew that what her mother had said about her was true. She should have never hatched. This would have saved them the grief of dealing with a hatchling like herself. ' _I'm sorry I could not do more for you, mother_.'

Snowfire finally took the chance and stepped outside the little cave where she had grown up. Her father only allowed her to explore the forest during the day. It was dangerous going out at night. Wild boars usually attacked younger dragons like herself, because she was so much smaller. That hadn't stopped Snowfire from trying to prove herself wrong. It was with that notion she had been attacked by the boars, and her father came to her rescue.

 _Where am I supposed to go now_? she wondered, feeling more lost than ever. She wasn't strong enough to fly, yet. Father once told her that hatchlings had to reach their first year before they could consider flying. Snowfire was barely eight months old. Learning how to fly without her parents seemed like an impossible task. So, Snowfire was left with exploring on foot. It meant she had little chance of survival on her own.

She spent the next few hours trying to explore the beach. The cool air didn't bother her as much as it should have. She was beginning to understand that unlike most dragons, she was capable of controlling the temperature around her. She had little control over this ability, but, at least Snowfire was able to keep herself from freezing during the coldest nights.

Soon she had reached the edge of the forest, where sunlight managed to penetrate through the trees and illuminate the area. Snowfire blinked against the harsh light as she heard what sounded like waves crashing against the shore. Her father had taken her to this place several times when she was even younger. He had told her that it was called the 'beach', a place to relax and enjoy the sunlight. This time she was alone, but curiosity drove her out of hiding.

Strange looking creatures were resting on the beach this time. Snowfire watched them in fascination, wondering what they were. They were fat looking, with thin fur coating their skin. Their heads were round, and they had two tail-like fins and two front fins that made it impossible to walk properly. Snowfire wasn't expecting one of the creatures to straighten up and glare at her. She blinked, trying to think fast as a long nose stuck out of it's face.

' _I'm just exploring the beach today_ ,' she wanted to tell it. ' _I'm lost, and hungry_.'

The creature suddenly let out a loud bellow that sent her scurrying across the other side. Snowfire yelped in surprise as more of them rounded on her, clearly seeing her as a threat. She didn't stop running until she was far enough away that they stopped chasing her. Relief washed over her once they were gone.

 _Father, I wish you were here_ , she thought bitterly, desperately wishing she had some kind of comfort to help her through these difficult times. The grief she felt for her parents only made it that much worse. With the sun sinking down the horizon, Snowfire knew she would need to find shelter soon. _I need you_.

"Snowfire, you are stronger than this." Her father's words rang in her mind. Snowfire blinked her eyes open in surprise. Her heart soared with joy when she saw him standing in front of her, wings flared open in that proud stance she always saw him in. "Do not give up hope, little one."

It took Snowfire a few seconds to realize that this was not her father. Instead, the dragoness was different looking from both her mother and father. This dragon had beautiful frosty blue eyes. Her scales were pure white, no patches of gray or black mixed in with them.

' _Who are you_?' she wondered. The White Terror in front of her hummed in amusement as she knelt down and brushed her snout against Snowfire's.

"I am Snowfire," she replied. "The very first White Terror, and your namesake."

Snowfire looked at the dragon in disbelief. The very first White Terror? She wasn't expecting to meet the very dragon that was spoken of in myths and legends.

' _Can you tell me why I can't speak_?' Snowfire asked, realizing that this Snowfire could understand her thoughts. The larger Snowfire nodded and turned towards the sky looming behind her.

"You are different from any other White Terror," she explained. "Your fate has already been decided. And while your path may not be an easy one, it will leave you with understanding. Know that not all humans are bad, and some will help you."

For a moment, Snowfire pondered over what the ancient dragon had said. Then she realized that her question was not really answered. Snowfire was about to ask again when she realized that the dragon was gone. She glared at the sky before looking down at nothing.

 _I am not ready for this_ , she realized. _I can't go through with whatever destiny you have planned for me_.

A sob raked her body as she closed her eyes once more. Grief overwhelmed her for the second time that day. She couldn't do this alone. She wasn't ready.

…

Snowfire was woken up by the sound of waves crashing onto the shore. Her eyes widened in alarm as she felt water against her scales, soaking her feathers. She realized that the tide was moving in fast, and soon, this whole beach would be flooded. She backed away from the shoreline, suddenly aware of the dangers she was in.

Up above, she could hear the birds calling to one another, circling above her. For a moment, Snowfire was afraid _she_ was their target. After all, she was starving, and hadn't moved all day. Between hunger, grief and everything else, Snowfire didn't have the strength to move on. Yet, there seemed to be a hidden will to drive her forward, telling her that she couldn't give up yet.

The hatchling kept a close distance between herself and the sea, along with whatever creatures resided nearby. Her keen eye spotted something out at sea they were after. Whatever had been drifting in the ocean was clearly drawling their attention. It also gave her a chance to see if any fish had been washed ashore.

Finally Snowfire was able to spot what looked like a fish carcass washed ashore. Her eyes lit up as hunger clawed at her belly. She bounded over as the stench drifted in the wind. Relief swept over Snowfire once she had eaten her share. It felt like days had passed since she'd actually eaten anything decent.

It wasn't long before another strange creature flew down to see if there was anything left. Snowfire eyed the creature cautiously, all too aware that this was another dragon. She recognized it from the way her father had described them to her: A Terrible Terror. A herd of them had landed nearby and were staring at her warily.

"Are you going zo finizh zhat?" the Terrible Terror asked. It had a strange accent, and Snowfire could barely make out what it was saying. But she understood the urgency in it's voice enough.

' _No_ ,' she replied before pushing the fish towards it. Or what was left of the fish, anyways. Most of it was gone, only a few scraps of meat still left on the bones. ' _What are you doing here_?' she asked thoughtfully, though she was immediately put off by their repulsive behavior when they started fighting over the fish. One of the Terrible Terrors had grabbed the head while another fired at it. A third, smaller one, was smart enough to get between the fighting duo and grab what was left of the fish.

"Finderz keeperz!" the little one squeaked after earning glares.

"Zuch a foolizh hactzhling," the adult male growled. Snowfire blinked in surprise when she realized that this was a family. The hatchling must have been their son. "Zank you for zharing the fizh," he added to Snowfire. "We don't normally zee your kind around here."

' _I live deeper in the forest, near the mountains_ ,' she explained, hoping he would understand her thoughts. Unfortunately, the male just kept staring at her expectantly. Snowfire sighed and stood up, stretching her wings as she did so. ' _You're more than welcome to stay as long as you like. I don't have anything left to offer_.'

She turned and left them there, the male watching in confusion while the female whispered something. "Maybe zhe iz mute."

Snowfire didn't miss the looks of pity that followed. She rolled her eyes and carried on with her journey across the shore. She wasn't sure how far this beach went. Cliffs overlooked the beach, making it impossible for anyone to ambush her. It was safer here, to some extent.

It hadn't taken long for the Terrible Terrors to catch up to her. She was almost as small as them, much to her annoyance. Her father and mother were huge, almost as big as a mountain. But as a smaller dragon she didn't have much of an advantage over enemies.

"Where are your mozher and fazher?" the older male Terror asked. Snowfire shot them a cold look in response. The Terror's face fell as realization dawned on him. "Oh, I'm zo zorry," he apologized, ashamed to bring up the subject.

 _Oh, no problem_ , she thought bitterly. _I love being reminded that my only family is gone_. That was when Snowfire realized she had picked up another familiar scent. This one sent shivers of rage through her. It was a scent she would never forget. _I'm not going to let them get away with what they did_ , she thought as she saw the small band of two-legged creatures.

They were sitting down around a fire, making all sorts of noises that irritated her to no end. Her lips curled with anger as she watched them.

"What are you doing?" the female Terror squawked in disbelief. "Zhose are humanz!"

' _Those humans took my family_!' Snowfire wanted to roar at them. ' _They deserve to die_!'

"No, no. Come with uz. It will be zafer zhat way," the male insisted, jumping between her and the creatures called humans. Snowfire narrowed her eyes into slits, glaring at the figures that were unaware of her presence.

' _Fine. I will leave them be_ _… for now_ ,' she grumbled reluctantly.

The Terrible Terrors had guided her away from the humans, much to their relief. Snowfire wasn't going to let this go by so idly. Not after what the humans had done to her family. Those humans were going to pay, one way or another.

* * *

 **AN: Man, has it been ages since I last updated this. I'm going to be honest in saying I was planning on keeping it a one-shot, but I realized that was leaving a lot of things out. And my original intention was to turn this into a full-on story, revolving around Snowfire's life until she meets Alex. Which would make it either a super-long fic, or a super-short one depending on which way I roll. Either way, I am really sorry it has been so long since I last updated. I also wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing it; I appreciate any feedback readers might give :)**

 **Snowfire's an interesting character to write about, not just because of her history, but because of what she's been through :) Which is part of the reason I wanted to continue this. And, hopefully the language of the Terrors is fitting for them... and not too confusing. There will be more chapters to come, it just may take a really long time for me to post them.**


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